They’re Not Buying It, Because You’re Not Speaking Their Language
If your pitch keeps getting polite nods and no follow-through, the problem isn’t what you’ve built, it’s how you’re talking about it. Veterinarians and their Staff are deciding whether to engage with your product while juggling blocked calls, emergency walk-ins, and a tech on the verge of burnout. They don’t have time to decode your innovation. They need to know, in seconds, how it will make their day easier and their team more effective. If your messaging isn’t built around their reality, it won’t land. This edition breaks down how to bridge the gap between what you're saying and what they care about, something we help companies do every day with messaging and positioning services.
In Practice: What Actually Works
Each edition, we bring you insights from industry leaders shaping the future of veterinary innovation, and just as importantly, from the people living it every day: veterinarians, practice managers, and veterinary technicians.
This week, we sat down with Mark Massaro, DVM, a former practicing veterinarian turned technology and PIMS expert. His perspective puts us squarely in the middle of a busy practice, where decisions aren’t theoretical, they’re practical. This kind of firsthand lens helps bridge the gap between product development and practical adoption.
“This article reminds me so much about this workshop / bootcamp I went to among other industry / hospital leaders from all over the country this past year. They had us choose between several options for projects to work on during the 3 days, all of which were geared towards improving some aspect of our hospitals back home. Things like dental compliance, senior bloodwork, pre-visit forms, parasiticides, forward booking, etc. I chose “Appointment Efficiency” because it was the closest to a giant project I was about to embark on back home - implementing an AI Scribe.
The key first step in this bootcamp was clearly defining our goal and making sure it was MEASURABLE. We had to be able to obtain a baseline metric before implementing changes, and then after to see if the changes had an impact. The first one proposed for our group was “# of Appointments / Vet / Day”. I strongly opposed this and was quickly joined but everyone at my table. WHY?
Picture me, walking into our clinics, announcing to our teams “Hey, I want to show you this amazing new software program. It’s going to help us INCREASE our number of APPTS / DR / DAY!”
I would be burned at the stake.
As Fotine mentions in this piece, our (the industry at large) teams are burnt out, overworked. They don’t want to hear “I want to give you MORE work!”
We eventually settled on a metric of increasing the number of “Gold Standard” appointments per day, and it was up to each hospital to define exactly what that was - Did it fall under the time allotted? Did we discuss all the things we wanted to discuss? Did the client go home with a written discharge at time of check out? etc.
But I carried this discussion with me as I returned home to embark upon my giant AI Scribe Project. Instead of focusing on how it was going to allow us to see more appointments or make us more money, I focused on how it was going to help get our teams go home on time to see their families. How much less tedious paperwork they would have to do. How many of our phone calls would actually be logged in the system. How much more detailed and inclusive (the AI remembers and includes things we would have forgotten about from a 30 min conversation from hours ago!) our SOAP notes would be. And how those things would actually improve patient care!
Improving patient care AND allowing our work-life balance?! That’s a WIN-WIN!!
Still, I was disappointed to see so many AI companies and hospitals across the industry only focusing on how it can increase the amount of appointments / revenue. Not everyone, but many. And I do get it, I’m not that naive. But we all talk a big talk about how much we care about mental health in the vet industry. But when push comes to shove, it still feels like money rules all. Sure, increased revenue can and SHOULD be a byproduct of this. A happier, less overworked staff is a more productive staff! And they stay! Hiring is expensive…but again, I just wish sometimes I would see more things focusing on doing what’s best for our teams simply because it’s the right thing to do, and then letting the money follow as a happy bonus / byproduct… maybe I’m too naive.. but maybe I’m on to something…”
What Veterinary Buyers Actually Care About (And How to Message to Them)
If your go-to-market strategy hinges on what makes your product “innovative,” you’re already losing the room. Most veterinary buyers aren’t looking for the next big thing, they’re looking for something that solves today’s problems with as little disruption as possible.
When you're selling into busy practices, here’s what buyers are really thinking:
● “How long will it take to train my team?”
● “Will this reduce stress or add to it?”
● "Will this mess with our workflow or make it smoother?”
● “Will clients notice a difference, and will it be good or bad?”
● “Do I trust this will work as promised in our world?”
If your message doesn’t address these practical concerns up front, you're putting the burden on them to do the translation and they won't.
How to Reframe Messaging: Real-World Translation Table
Your job is to connect your innovation to outcomes that matter in practice. Here’s how to translate tech-forward language into clinic-relevant value:
Real World Translation Table
Action Step: Build a Messaging Lens
Use this simple 3-part test to revise your product messaging today:
Clarity: Can someone outside your company explain what it does in 10 seconds?
Relevance: Does it solve a real, daily problem for someone in the practice?
Proof: Do you have a quote, stat, or visual that makes it believable?
Connecting back to “In Practice: What Actually Works” with Mark Massaro, DVM: Dr. Massaro’s story makes this clear: "no one wants to be pitched more appointments, they want to be promised more relief.” As he put it, “Hey I want to introduce this amazing new software… Our main goal is to INCREASE our number of APPTS / DR / DAY!’ I would be burned at the stake.” His real success came when he reframed the conversation around improving daily life for the team: better care, less stress, and more time for what matters.
Want support developing messaging that actually resonates in a veterinary practice? Explore our Strategy-First Marketing services: https://www.thavmaconsulting.com/services.
3 Ways to Bridge the Messaging Gap (and Build Buyer Confidence)
Veterinary decision-makers aren’t asking for simpler products, they’re asking for clearer value. The goal isn’t too dumb down your message. It’s to translate innovation into immediate, recognizable benefits for the people using your product in real-world practice conditions.
1. Translate Features into Functional Outcomes
Your feature set is only valuable if it connects directly to what buyers care about, saving time, reducing friction, or improving care. Start by forcing yourself to ask “So what?” after every product feature.
Prompt
“This helps clinics ______.”
Example
✖ “Real-time patient tracking”
✔ “This helps clinics know where every patient is without interrupting techs or delaying appointments.”
Make it Actionable
● Map each key feature to a user outcome.
● Use real scenarios: “Saves 10 minutes per exam room turnaround” hits harder than “streamlines workflow.”
Why it Works
Outcomes anchor your message in the daily pressures of a clinic, where time, stress, and clarity are in short supply.
Connecting back to “In Practice: What Actually Works” from Mark Massaro, DVM: Dr. Massaro didn’t sell his team on AI because it was new or cool, he showed them how it would change their day. “Instead of focusing on how it was going to allow us to see more appointments or make us more money, I focused on how it was going to allow our teams to go home on time, to see their families.” That’s how you translate features into real, felt outcomes: speak to what actually matters in the trenches of veterinary practice.
2. Use Their Language, Not Yours
Buyers don’t talk like your product team. The words that resonate most come directly from the floor, from the practice manager venting during lunch, the tech troubleshooting while short-staffed, or the DVM trying to get home on time.
What To Do
● Interview current users. Ask: “What’s the #1 reason you keep using this?”
● Review onboarding feedback, support chats, and testimonials. Highlight repeated phrases or pain points.
● Use those words in headlines, decks, and demo scripts verbatim.
Example
A support doc that used “streamline communication” didn’t perform until it was changed to: “Fewer phone calls. Less chaos at the front desk.”
Why it Works
Messaging that mirrors the language of your buyer builds instant familiarity and trust.
Connecting back to “In Practice: What Actually Works” from Mark Massaro, DVM: It wasn’t about “workflow efficiency” or “AI integration.” Dr. Massaro leaned into the words his team used every day: less paperwork, better communication, peace of mind. “How much less tedious paperwork they would have to do. How many of our phone calls would actually be logged… how much more detailed and inclusive our SOAP notes would be.” When your messaging sounds like it came from the treatment room, not a product demo, it earns trust instantly.
3. Back Up Benefits with Visual Proof
Buyers don’t just want to hear what your product does, they want to see it. Show the benefit in action with side-by-side visuals, peer quotes, or brief before-and-after snapshots.
What To Do
● Pair each key feature with a screenshot or stat
● Highlight a peer quote next to a claim: “We cut call volume in half within 2 weeks.” — Practice Manager, Mid-Size GP Clinic
● Create a simple “Before / After” slide or image for sales or demo decks
Example Format
● Before: Missed follow-ups, annoyed clients
● After: Automated reminders, 15% drop in missed appointments
Why it Works
Concrete proof makes your message real. It reduces perceived risk and increases buyer confidence, especially for time-strapped decision-makers who don’t want a learning curve.
Action Step
Pick one of your top features and walk through this process:
Translate it into a clinic-relevant benefit
Rewrite it using the customer’s own words
Pair it with a quote, stat, or visual to prove it works
Then ask: “Would this make someone say, ‘We need this now’?”
Connecting back to “In Practice: What Actually Works” from Mark Massaro, DVM: Dr. Massaro didn’t just say his AI Scribe would help, he backed it up with visible, measurable outcomes. "The AI remembers and includes things we would have forgotten about during a 30 min conversation…Those things would improve patient care!” In a skeptical, time-starved industry, showing real-world benefits builds the kind of belief that moves products from pilot to must-have.
These are the same principles we apply with clients when building go-to-market strategies that stick. See how we help veterinary tech companies position for adoption: https://www.thavmaconsulting.com/services
Message Clarity Is a Power Move
The most effective messages aren’t the loudest or the flashiest, they’re the ones that feel familiar, that make people say, ‘Finally, someone gets it.’ When your message reflects the real, everyday pressures of veterinary teams, you don’t just earn attention, you earn belief.
This isn’t about simplifying. It’s about respecting your audience enough to speak clearly, directly, and with purpose. Whether you’re launching something new or breathing life into something familiar, clarity isn’t a concession. It’s how you build trust and traction.
THAVMA INSIGHT: If your message doesn’t make a burned-out tech or an overbooked DVM feel seen in the first 10 seconds, it’s not ready. The real power move isn’t pushing harder, it’s speaking clearer. Start by answering one question: “How does this make their day better?” If you can’t answer that, they won’t either.
Need help aligning your messaging with what veterinary teams actually care about? We work with mission-driven companies to build strategy-first positioning that drives adoption, not just awareness. Schedule a Consultation.
Let’s connect on LinkedIn: Fotine A Sotiropoulos.
